Endothelial

What You Can Do About "ED"

Blood tests aren't the only reliable way to gauge ED: Certain unhealthy lifestyle factors, including smoking and being overweight, increase the likelihood of this silent risk factor. Also, if your cholesterol, triglycerides, or homocysteine levels are elevated, you likely have endothelial dysfunction. Being stressed and having diabetes also boost the likelihood of ED.

What are the right foods to eat to beat ED? One of the first studies on diet and ED looked at the effects of a fast-food breakfast rich in trans fat, saturated fat, and refined starches. Gary D. Plotnick, M.D., of University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore used ultrasound to measure changes in blood-vessel tone and blood flow in the brachial artery, which is the nurses listen to in your arm when they take your blood pressure.

Blood vessel tone in Plotnick's subjects decreased for two to four hours after eating the fast-food meal. Plotnick also discovered that supplements of vitamins C and E protected blood vessels. Of course, that doesn't mean you should take vitamins as an "antidote" for eating fast foods. But it does suggest that eating nutritious foods, packed with vitamins such as C and E, will likely help protect the health of your blood vessels.

So start by following the advice you've heard before — nix the foods with unhealthy fats, sugars, and refined (white) carbohydrates. You know what they are: convenient, processed snacks, fast foods, and desserts. And what should you eat? Read on.

by
Brenda Bell
As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of the benefits that made it cost-effective for me to go with the real healthcare (HSA) plan rather than the phony (HRA) plan is that my company is now covering "preventative" medicines at $0 copay. The formulary for these, as stated by CVS/Caremark (my pharmacy benefits provider), covers all test strips, lancets, and control solutions. I dutifully get my doctor to write up prescriptions for all of my testing needs, submit...